User acceptance model of open source software: an integrated model of OSS characteristics and UTAUT

Abstract

Globally, the acceptance of Open Source Software (OSS) varies among the users of a company. Despite the substantive software, social, and infrastructure-related implications of OSS acceptance, the research on the acceptance of OSS across organizations inhabitants remains surprisingly limited. To propose a model for the acceptance of OSS; investigate the influence of the OSS characteristics, UTAUT constructs, and infrastructure factors on the acceptance of open source software system. It also examines the validity of UTAUT in the open source software context. Quantitative design has been used following the distribution of questionnaire among a sample of 255 individuals employed at public and private organizations (172 males and 83 females). Software quality, software interoperability, and software security had a significant impact on the performance expectancy (PE) (β = 0.445, P < 0.001), (β = 0.302, P < 0.001), (β = 0.139, P < 0.05), respectively. Moreover, PE, cost, facilitating conditions, social influence SI and self-efficacy had a notable impact on the behavioral intention (β = 0.275, P < 0.05), (β = 0.229, P < 0.01), (β = 0.136, P < 0.01), (β = 0.220, P < 0.01) and (β = 0.174, P < 0.01) respectively. A new path appears to exist between EE (effort expectancy) and PE (β = 0.215, P < 0.01). The outcomes indicated that users perceive that OSS user-friendliness must be upgraded for optimizing its benefits. It showed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, self-efficacy, software security, software quality, software interoperability, and software cost are important indicators in the acceptance and implementation of OSS. Further research can be conducted in organizations to observe the implementation of OSS and its effectiveness.